This podcast blog will highlight news and information from and about the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections.
In this first episode of the re-launched podcast we talk with Dr. Bret Bucklen (PA DOC Director of Planning, Research, and Statistics) about what his office does and what value it brings to the department. We explore the importance of research and evaluation in corrections.
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This month, the PA Prisons and Parole Podcast visits two of our most unique facilities: deep in the heart of a city with SCI Chester and out in the middle of rural PA with Quehanna Boot Camp.
Our first guest is Maj. Scott Carter, who breaks down how QBC operates and the overall philosophy behind its approach to treatment and rehabilitation. Later in the episode, Supt. Gina Clark discusses the history of SCI Chester, as well as the unique challenges and opportunities presented to it by being in the midst of an urban environment. Clark also shares about Chester’s famed Little Scandinavia unit and how the project has gone so far.
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The PA Prisons and Parole Podcast tour around our facilities continues this month as we shine a spotlight on SCI Camp Hill and SCI Rockview. Drug and Alcohol Treatment Manager Bernie Comiskey shares about how Camp Hill serves as our classification center and what inmate family members should know about the process, before Superintendent’s Assistant Nicki Paul highlights the many unique opportunities for inmates at Rockview — including the Forestry Camp and PCI Wood Shop.
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We dive deep into the history of SCI Cambridge Springs with lawyer David Matejcyzk, who shares all about the Alliance College that used to inhabit the grounds of the current prison. Matejcyzk has strong family ties to the school and shares about why the school was formed, what famous alumni and visitors have ties to the school, and even how Cambridge Springs was connected to the NFL.
The episode kicks off with SCI Smithfield Superintendent’s Assistant Lisa Hollibaugh, who discusses the important role the prison serves as the DOC’s reception facility.
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Superintendent’s Assistants Christie Schenk of SCI Somerset and Holly Quist of SCI Benner Township join the show to share about their respective facilities and what makes them unique, including the programs, the people — and the massive amount of laundry they both process. Christie also discusses their dog training program, as Somerset is the only whelping facility in the state, and Holly explains how Benner Township serves as the transportation hub for the DOC.
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